Czech-U.S. relations dominated by visa, missile defense issues

Last week United States President George W. Bush announced plans to modify
his nation's visa waiver program to raise the number of countries whose
citizens can enter the U.S. without a visa. The announcement was made
during a trip to Estonia, and was received by Czechs with great interest,
as the Czech Republic is one country that could stand to benefit from a
change in U.S. visa policy. Because U.S. citizens are allowed to enter the
Czech Republic for a short period without a visa, but Czechs are unable to
do the same, it is an issue that festers at the core of bilateral
relations between the two countries.

"Visas are a very big issue in the Czech Republic; it's probably the
number one issue, and I've come to learn very quickly how big of an issue
it is here," he said. "The president made a significant
announcement today. He announced that he was willing to work with Congress
to establish some flexibility in existing visa waiver law, to provide
modifications to visa law that would focus on security. So it's a somewhat
different focus than it's been in the past. There's a long way to go on
this. Congress has to change the law. Of course, any time a law is changed
in the United States that's a process; it's not something that happens
instantly or overnight. But from the perspective of the Czechs, I think it
has to be looked at as good news."

For now, U.S. citizens can travel to the Czech Republic for business or
tourism for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Czech citizens must
undergo what many say is a complicated and painful process to obtain a
visa to enter the United States for any reason.

But Czech Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra took President Bush's statement
as a sign that the situation would change in the near future. On Czech TV
after Bush's announcement Mr. Vondra projected a timeline of approximately
two years to fully balance U.S.-Czech visa relations.

"It's basically a political statement, which casts light on the need
to change the law," he said. "It's not a question of weeks or
even months, but I think that one or two years would be a realistic
estimate."

Ambassador Graber said a timeline for any visa change would be impossible
to predict, so for now, Czechs have to pay and wait for the opportunity to
travel to the U.S.

"Czechs are complaining a lot about how much money they have to pay
for the visa, and it's not sure whether they will receive them or not even
if they pay," she said. "So they would like to at least know the
reasons why they do not go. And of course everybody here would appreciate
a lot if there was the no-visa traveling possibility to the U.S."

To apply for a visa to visit the States, Czech citizens must pay a
processing 2,200 CZK, or the equivalent of approximately 104 USD, which is
not returned if the application is rejected. Last year, the U.S. embassy in
Prague granted 32,000 10-year visas to Czech citizens. More than 45,000
Czechs visited the U.S. in 2005.

Over the past few years, the rejection rate of applications for Czech
visas has hovered around 10 percent. According to current U.S. policy visa
rejections must stay below 3 percent for a two-year period for a country to
qualify for the visa waiver program.

"Our states cooperate a lot--they cooperate in the case of business,
military and they support each other on the world scene," he said.
"This can be seen for example in Afghanistan, the involvement of the
Czech army in Iraq as well, and investments that flow from the U.S.A. to
the Czech Republic. I can't say we have so many issues in this field - just
the visa issue. Normally I think our relations are quite good."

The support the Czech Republic has lent to the U.S. in the military
missions in Afghanistan and Iraq is a reason often cited as justification
for a policy change, as well as the fact that the U.S. is considering the
Czech Republic as a possible host site for a missile defense base.
Throughout the year, U.S. defense experts have been scouting locations for
the base in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"The United States is in the process of deciding whether to offer the
possibility to host a missile defense facility in the Czech Republic,"
Ambassador Graber said. "There are a couple of components to it: an
interceptor component and a radar component. It is possible that both
interceptor and radar in one country or it could be divided, with radar in
one country and interceptor in another. Again, that decision has not been
made. If an offer is made to the Czechs, it's very important to stress, I
believe, that the decision is ultimately a Czech decision as to whether or
not to accept that offer. I believe that if an offer is made it would be a
good thing for relations between the two countries...."

Afghanistan, photo: CTK
Some opinion polls have found that the majority of Czechs oppose the
installation of a missile defense site. On the other hand, some people see
the base as a good opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the
two countries.

Ambassador Graber believes that the offer would be a positive development
for security in both countries and security in the central and eastern
regions of Europe. But some critics of the potential facility have said a
missile defense base would make the host country a strategic target. There
is also continued uncertainty about under whose jurisdiction the facility
would lie. Would the United States, the Czech Republic of some
international body be legally responsible for administration of the site?
Czech lawyer Jana Hrstkova attended Harvard University Law School on a
Fulbright scholarship.

"I think it's really important to be absolutely sure about terms and
conditions," she said. "I'm a lawyer, so I know that it's really
crucial to have an understanding of all technical and legal aspects. Even
today, during the questions session, there was a specific question related
to experience to different countries where bases exist, like in Japan and
Germany. I think the majority of people actually do not really know what
in reality it means, and how it would work. I think there needs to be a
real dialogue, explanation and practice so that people can have a better
understanding and they could form a better opinion about the
situation."

Ambassador Graber says that these issues as well as the low opinion polls
will need to be addressed, should the U.S. choose the Czech Republic as a
host site.

"I think it would be important for both countries to have a dialogue
on this and I'm convinced that if the full story is communicated that the
Czechs will support, again, whatever offer might be made," he said.

The ambassador anticipates that a decision will be made this year.

In addition to addressing the well-publicized issues of visas and the
missile defense facility, the U.S Embassy is trying to promote educational
exchanges between the two nations and more investment in the Czech Republic
by American companies.

"American investment is in the Czech Republic continues to
increase," the ambassador said. "This has been a very favorable
place to do business. I meet regularly with American businesses that are
here. I plan to meet with Czech businesses that might have an interest in
an American partner and the American marketplace."

Graber says this task is a challenging one at a time when the Czech
economy is gaining strength and international businesses are looking
further east for cheaper labor and more amenable legal and economic
environments in which to do business.

"As this democracy matures, this will not be the low cost place to do
business," he said. "A skilled, educated, motivated workforce
will become really a competitive differentiator. So I think that's
probably the most important thing. And I do think it's important, too, as
I said before, to strengthen some of the institutions of democracy, making
sure that there is a transparent legal system, making sure that business
corruption is minimized. Things such as that are very, very important.
Making sure there is a solid infrastructure. People and infrastructure are
probably two of the most important things a business looks at when deciding
to invest."